1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an illumination driving apparatus for a light emitting diode and a method thereof capable of averaging illumination in the case of deterioration of light emitting diodes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an alternating current (AC) power supply has generally been used as a power supply for driving a light emitting diode. However, when a light emitting diode is driven using the AC power supply, a circuit for converting AC power into direct current (DC) power, a constant current source circuit for driving the light emitting diode, and the like, are used, such that a circuit configuration may be complicated. Therefore, a circuit for full-wave rectifying AC power and connecting a plurality of light emitting diodes to the full-wave rectified AC power has mainly been used.
The following Related Art Document relates to an illumination driving apparatus using a light emitting diode. More specifically, the Related Art Document provides a light emitting diode illumination driving apparatus that includes: a light emitting diode array connected in parallel with an AC power supply, grouped into a plurality of light emitting diode groups, each including at least one light emitting diode and arranged in series with each other, and including taps, each formed between the respective light emitting diode groups and at a cathode terminal of a final light emitting diode group; a reference voltage source generating a reference voltage; and a switching unit efficiently controlling peak currents for each of the light emitting diode groups based on the reference voltage according to increases and decreases in an AC input voltage, and has high efficiency, a high power factor, and low harmonic characteristics in a wide input voltage range. However, in the Related Art Document, the light emitting diodes are controlled in uniform order, such that life spans of the light emitting diodes according to deterioration of the light emitting diodes are not considered.